We bought our daughter a silver (stainless steel?) bracelet when she was three. I am glad we choose it. It never needs to come off. It stays on for bath and bed even. She does not even think about it much anymore. I was concerned that she might take the sports band off on her own or play with the velcro. She has eczema also and it does not irritate her.

I bought the basic bracelet for my boys they never take it off not even in the shower. I like this because it is not tight to the skin and the air can circulate so that it does not get itchy or irritated. My boys are very active in everyday play with their friends soccer, street hockey, baseball etc. so they tend to sweat alot. This way I don't need to worry they are 4 and 7. the lock mechanism is also very secure so I don't need to fear that they can take it off when I'm not around or lose it. besides if they do lose it it's cheap enough to replace without having to fork out a bunch of cash.

Sil, I just wanted to mention a problem we had many years ago regarding sports - and how it was dealt with. My oldest kids are in their 20's, so this was back in the early 90's.

They were on a baseball team, and the rule was NO JEWELLRY. The first game, I took my son's medic-alert bracelet off. But, then, when I thought about it, I decided that was not an option. The needed to be taught to NEVER take it off. I spoke to the coach and an umpire, and was told any child wearing jewelry was an automatic loss for the team - it's the coach's job to enforce safety rules and this was a safety rule. After discussions, they said I could tape it down. The reason they wanted no jewellry was in case the ball hit where the jewellry was, it could cause a more serious injury. That made sense, but taping it down sounded dangerous - if it's to tight.

I tried to find a wrist sweat-band to cover it, but I couldn't find one that fit. Instead I took an old sweat-shirt and cut the cuff off of it. It covered the medic-alert and the league accepted it as safe. The only stipulation was that my son could not wear it to pitch - which was OK, because my son could not pitch anyway. The following year the league rules were updated, and included what colour band could cover *medical jewellry* for pitchers.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention what we did, in case you ever have a league that want's your kids not to wear the silver medic-alerts.

You guys have made some good points about the stainless steel / silver bracelets...Ethan's skin is very sensitive and he's easily irritated with tags, eczema, etc. I also like the idea of him not having to take off the bracelet to bathe or sleep, whatever. I want to get one for him now (even though he's in my care all of the time) so that he can get used to wearing it while he's still young so that hopefully it becomes second nature to him.

Thanks for the tip. I can understand the reasons why they say no jewellery. But medic bracelets are not for decoration. The wrist band is a great idea to cover the bracelet (Oh!! Maybe we should go into business selling sweatbands with a medical logo just for sporting events to cover the bracelets.) I think I'll get one for him just to keep in his gym bag at school. The school does not allow any jewellery during sports as well but they make an exception for the allergy bracelets. Especially if the kids can't do it themselves and the teacher has to take the time to take them off and put them back on. (it's amazing how things are allowed once it becomes the other persons problem)

The stainless steel is great with the eczema. I'm subject to eczema when wearing watches and bracelets, but I have never had a problem with the stainless steal medic-alert bracelet (had problems with the fake non stainless steel ones )... I even applied the same thinking and bought a stainless steel watch and I can now wear a watch... on my wrist!!!!

As far as safety goes, it is true though that if the bracelet catches in something, it will NOT break. Which can be an issue as it can cause more injuries ... I had to buy a necklace many years ago as I was working in a pastry shop and it was dangerous if my bracelet caught in a mixer or something as my bracelet would not break easily, wich would have been safer. I bought the silver version which is more breakable, therefore safer in some situations.

I want to get one for him now (even though he's in my care all of the time) so that he can get used to wearing it while he's still young so that hopefully it becomes second nature to him.

I think it's a good idea to have the MedicAlert bracelet for anyone with severe allergies, regardless of age, and whether they are still in a parent's care at all times or not. For example, the bracelet can speak for your child
- if you are in a car accident and unconscious
- if your child goes missing in a store

My experience is that the first thing people do when they think a child is distressed is to offer food!

A dad I know was really not sure about getting a bracelet for his child, and then he saw a TV news story about a missing child who had been found. The TV segment showed a police office offering the kid a Butterfinger (peanut butter based) chocolate bar! That sold him on the bracelet then and there.

Allergic children who have been diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis should:

-have an auto-injector with their name on it, kept in a readily available location that is unlocked (preferably carried on them)
-be encouraged to carry their own auto-injector when age appropriate
-be discouraged from eating if they do not have an auto-injector with them
-be very cautious when eating foods prepared by others (older children)
-wear medical identification, such as a MedicAlert® bracelet or necklace (older children) that clearly identifies their allergy, or a special badge in the case of very young children in the nursery setting

As far as safety goes, it is true though that if the bracelet catches in something, it will NOT break.

Have you had it saudered on? (I know I'm spelling that wrong. Kids running around - no time to look up.) The bracelet should break before doing any damage. You might get a bit of a scratch, but, it should break.

My oldest son had his pulled off him in school one year and thrown in the school yard. It spent the entire winter in the paved school yard - and was found in the spring against the building where the plows have been pushing the snow. It was a bit scratched up, and the red ink was mostly gone - but it was still in good (wearable) condition.

I think it's a good idea to have the MedicAlert bracelet for anyone with severe allergies, regardless of age, and whether they are still in a parent's care at all times or not. For example, the bracelet can speak for your child
- if you are in a car accident and unconscious
- if your child goes missing in a store

As far as safety goes, it is true though that if the bracelet catches in something, it will NOT break. Which can be an issue as it can cause more injuries

My experience with the stainless steel bracelets are that they break all too often - sometimes for an unknown reason and at least once when my son was playing on a shag carpet - the main link between the medallion and the chain got pulled open and the bracelet came off.

Luckily, we have found an inexpensive watch-repair place (Sears at Carlingwood in Ottawa for those in the area) that soldered it for about $4. A bargain! Before I used to go to a jewelers who charged me about $25 a repair... I've had to had the bracelets fixed at least 6 times in the past 5 years.

Yet another letter I've been meaning to write - one to MedicAlert to ask why they don't solder their bracelets!

Our son has been wearing a medic alert sports band (the one with the whales on it)since he turned 2. He wears it every single day, but we take it off at bath time & at night. I feel a little uncomfortable that we take it off at all, and have been considering the bracelet style. He never takes the sport band one off, and it has never fallen off accidentally. The reason we take it off at night is... you know, as I'm writing this, I'm thinking WHY do we take it off at night?? We really shouldn't. Because it's a band, if it gets wet, I think it would be like wearing a piece of wet clothing, so taking it off for bathing is something we do, but maybe we should just leave it on at night. I wash it in the laundry once in awhile, but we have the same backup medic alert band as well, so he wears that one until the newer one is dry.

I think I'm going to check out the medic alert website and see what's new. I want to get an E-belt to replace our Anatote style epipen carrier anyway...

I know that deciding what bracelet to get is a very personal decision -- but the reason we got the basic stainless steel one was for that very reason -- so that they could wear it all the time. My guys haven't taken their bracelets off in years (except when they've broken and had to be repaired). I just am not comfortable with them not having it on all the time. I want it to practically be a part of them, like a wedding ring is to some people.

And for Xavier, my youngest, I didn't want the sports one because of his eczema. I have a watch that is like the sports band and I can't imagine wearing it wet (gah), especially with eczema. But I'd want him to wear it all the time, whether bathing or swimming or whatever, so that kind isn't an option for us.

Just my 2 cents. I admit, I am rather "**" about the MedicAlert bracelet -- but it's also for peace of mind and part laziness -- if it's on them all the time, it's one less thing to worry about. (And couldn't we all use that!! )

Yet another letter I've been meaning to write - one to MedicAlert to ask why they don't solder their bracelets! .

Because if it is soldered, then it is the arm that will be injured rather then the bracelet broken. My uncle lost a finger because his it broke off before his wedding ring broke. I don't think the bracelet is strong enough to break an arm - but it could do serious damage if it was to strong.

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